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ATLAS

Assistive
Technology 
Laboratory
at
Stanford

 
 
Technology and design benefitting individuals with disabilities and older adults in the local community
January 1, 2016    
2 columns of images relating to assistive technology
Perspectives is the newsletter of the Stanford course,
Perspectives in Assistive Technology.

Happy New Year!

This issue invites you to attend the first class session and
encourages your participation in the course's assistive technology faire.

Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - now starting its tenth year - that explores the design, development, and use of assistive technology that benefits people with disabilities and older adults. The schedule consists of semi-weekly classroom discussions; lectures by notable professionals, clinicians, and assistive technology users; tours of local medical, clinical, and engineering facilities; an assistive technology faire; and a film screening.

Course News - Enrollment continues to be very strong with 47 students signed up for the course so far.

First class session of the tenth season - Tuesday, January 5th at 4:30pm (new starting time):

photo of Dave Jaffe


Course Overview & Introduction to Assistive Technology
David L. Jaffe, MS
Stanford University - Mechanical Engineering Design Group

Abstract: This presentation will provide an overview of the course and a brief introduction to Assistive Technology including a definition of terms, demographics, goals of rehabilitation, perceptions of disability, the needs of people experiencing disabilities, political correctness, and numerous examples of commercial assistive technology products, research efforts, and students' projects.

Biosketch: David L. Jaffe holds a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a MS degree in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University.

Prior to coming to Stanford, he was a Research Biomedical Engineer at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System's Rehabilitation Research and Development Center. At the VA his interests were designing, developing, testing, and bringing to market microcomputer-based devices for veterans with disabilities including communication, mobility, and information systems. He has worked on several VA assistive technology research projects including an innovative powered wheelchair interface for individuals with quadriplegia, an electro-mechanical fingerspelling hand that served as a communication device for people who are deaf/blind, a system that explored virtual reality techniques to train individuals with gait deficits to improve their walking, and a project that employed a computer-based simulation system to assess and improve the driving ability of individuals after brain injury.

In addition to organizing this course, ENGR110/210 Perspectives in Assistive Technology, he contributes to other Stanford courses including defining the quarterly course projects in ME218 Smart Product Design, coaching project teams in ME113 Mechanical Engineering Design and ME294 Medical Device Design, as well as mentoring students working on assistive technology projects throughout the year.

Attend a lecture - Course lectures will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:50pm starting Tuesday, January 5th and are open to the greater Stanford community. You are most welcome to sit in on class sessions that interest you. You need not be a Stanford student and there is no required signup, enrollment, or charge. The class will meet in a large, tiered, accessible classroom on campus in the Thornton Center, adjacent to the Terman Fountain and near the Roble Gym, the same venue as last year. Here are the parking options, maps, and directions to the classroom.

clip art of a lecture

Participate in the Assistive Technology Faire - This fourth annual course event will once again provide an opportunity for students and community members to get an up-close look at a variety of assistive technology devices and learn about available services. Users of assistive technology products as well as small companies and agencies serving individuals with disabilities and older adults are encouraged to bring assistive technology devices and information to display, demonstrate, and discuss. Please browse to the Call for Assistive Technology Faire Participants webpage and contact the course instructor if you would like to be a part of this event as a user or vendor of assistive technology products or services. Everyone is welcome to attend the Faire.

The Faire starts at 4:30pm on Thursday, February 4th just outside the classroom, Thornton 110.

Here are photos from last year's event.

clip art of a faire
Upcoming class sessions:
Upcoming community event:

Would you like to support the course? - Funding in any amount for the course and student projects is always welcomed. Monetary gifts support approved project expenses, administrative costs, honoraria for guest lecturers, and the end-of-term celebration. Refer to the Team Project Support webpage for more information.

Do you have a question, comment, or suggestion? - If you have general questions, comments, or suggestions about the course, David L. Jaffe, MS, the instructor, can be reached by email or at 650/892-4464. Thank you again for your interest in the course.

Dave

3 rows of images of course presenters and community members

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